Adjustable ottoman



H. GLEITSMAN ADJUSTABLE OTTOMAN Jan. 20, 1959 Filed March 14, 1957INVENTOR.

flaw/d G/ezlsmm 8Y8. ZZVMA a is" I GM 34 52 14w?! ATTORNEYS UnitedStates ADJUSTABLE OTTOMAN Application March 14, 1957, Serial No. 646,040

6 Claims. (Cl. 15S-169) The present invention relates to ottomans.

So-called posture chairs now in widespread use, are recommended as ahealth attribute due to the complete relaxation that they provide.However, said posture chairs" are relatively expensive, cumbersome, anddo not lend themselves readily to the decorative schemes of living roomsor the like.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a relativelyinexpensive and simple device which can be used to convert anyconventional chair or seat into a posture chair and which is of pleasingappearance, so as to not interfere with the decor or decorative schemeof furniture used in the particular room in which said device may 'beused.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In thedrawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated ofcarrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a posture chair or seat formed by theottoman of the present invention in association with a conventionalchair;

Fig. 1A is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the ottomanillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2--2of Fig. 1A;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on a reduced scale, taken on the lines 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;and illustrates a modification.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7--7. ofFig. 5;4

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawings in detail, there isshown in Fig. 1 an ottoman 10 pursuant to the present invention, asutilized with a conventional chair C to form a posture chair. Theottoman is of the backless seat or bench type and comprises a basemember 12 provided with the legs 14, said base pivotally mounting abench top or seat 16.

The base member 12 is a rigid member, preferably formed of metal orother suitable material, and provided with a peripheral upwardlydirected flange 18 and having the cut-outs 20 to reduce the weightthereof. At each corner thereof, the base 12 is provided with a leg 14,which is suitably secured thereto, as by the securing means 22. Each legmounts a freely rotatable caster 24. The seat member or bench top 16,which may be formed of any suitable material and which is preferablypadded and upholstered, is hinged at the bottom and adjacent the rearend 26 thereof, as. by the hinges 28-28 to the flange 18 of the basemember 12. When the ottoman 10 is utilized per se, as a backless seat orbench, the seat member 16 thereof is in the normal or horizontalposition thereof, as illustrated in broken line in Fig. 2, with theforward or free end 30 of the seat supported on the flange 18, and theopposite or hinged end 26 thereof being secured by means of the hinges28 to the base member 22.

Pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention, provision ismade for a relatively simple and eflicient adjustable detent mechanism,generally indicated by the reference numeral 56, to retain the seat 16in different tilted or adjusted dispositions thereof for utilization asan adjustable foot rest in connection with the conventional chair C toconvert the latter into a posture chair. More specifically, provision ismade: for first and second telescoping U-shaped detent means 31 and 33,respectively, which constitute the adjustable detent 56 for retainingthe seat 16 in adjusted tilted dispositions thereof. The first U-shapeddetent means 31 has a rod-like bight, or pivot part 32 provided with thespaced arms 44 and 46. The pivot 32 is disposed on the inner or uppersurface 34 of the base member 12. adjacent the side thereof opposite thehinges 28, being mounted for rotation in a semicircular pivot housing orsleeve 36 which is suitably secured on the surface 34, as by thesecuring elements 38. The pivot 32 projects from the housing 36, at theopposite ends thereof, as at 40 and 42 respectively. The rod-like arm 44is suitably secured, as by welding, to the end 40 of the pivot member 32and the other rod-like arm 46 is similarly secured to the other end 42of the pivot rod 32. The rod 46 differs from the rod 44 in that the rod46 is provided with a tail or bent portion 46, as best illustrated inFig. 2. The base member 12 is provided with a cut-out to accommodate thetail 48, for a purpose which is hereinafter explained in detail.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the pivot member 32 andthe arms 44 and 46 secured at the opposite ends thereof form the rigidassembly 31 and that said pivot member is mounted for rotary movementwithin the housing 36 to move the arms 44 and 46 to and from retractedand operative dispositions thereof. In the retracted or inoperativeposition thereof, the arms overlie the upper surface 34 of the basemember, as illus trated in the broken line disposition of the arm 46 inFig. 2. The erect or operative disposition thereof is illustrated in thefull line disposition of said arm 46 in Figure 2. It will be noted thatin the inoperative disposition of the arm 46, the tail 48 thereofprojects into the opening 50 in the base member 12 and that in the erectposition of said arm 46, said tail 48 projects through the opening andunderlies the base member 12, in engagement with the bottom surface 52thereof, so as to constitute a detent for retaining the U-shapedassembly 31 in the upright disposition thereof.

The second U-shaped detent means 33 of the detent assembly 56 is a rigidadjustable device constituted by a cross bar or bight 58 provided at theopposite ends thereof with the tubular elements or arms 60 and 62. Thetubular element 60 is adapted to telescopically receive therein arm 44of the device 31, and the tubular element 62 is adapted totelescopically receive therein arm 46 of said device as best illustratedin Fig. 4.. Each of the tubular portions 60 and 62 of the assembly 33 issimilar in construction and is provided with the adjustable thumb screw64 for releasably locking the associated tubular portion in alongitudinally adjusted position on the associated arm 44 or 46, as thecase may be.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the arms 44 and 46 aretelescopically received in the tubular parts 60 and 62, respectively,and that said tubular parts may be releasably secured by means of thethumb screws 64 in various adjusted positions longitudinallyof theassociated arms 44 and 46. For example, the adjustable detent assembly56 may be raised or lowered, in a vertical direction, from the positionthereof illustrated in Fig. 2,

by releasing the thumb screws 64 and raising or lowering the U-shapeddevice 33 relative to the U-shaped device 31, as may be required, andthen securing said device 33 in the desired adjusted positionby'tightening the thumb screws 64. It will be apparent that in theerectdisposition thereof, the cross piece 58 of the detent assembly 56 willengage the undersurface of the seat 16, adjacent the front 3t) thereof,as illustrated in full line in Fig. '2 so as to releasably retain theseat in a desired adjusted or tilted position thereof to provide adesired pitch or slope to the seat .member 16 which may be readilychanged or varied by merely readjusting the device 33 relative to thedevice 31. The detent assembly 56 is releasably retained in the erectposition thereof, and prevented from inadvertent collapse to theinoperative position thereof by the engagement of the tail 48 with theundersurface 54 of the base member 12, as previously explained. Further,it will be apparent that in the horizontal or broken line disposition ofthe seat member 16, the detent assembly 56 is rotated to the retractedor inoperative position thereof, shown in broken line in Fig. 2, whereinit is disposed on the base 12 within the upstanding peripheral flange 18thereof, and between the bottom of the seat member 16 and theupper'surface 34 of base 12, so as to be hidden from view.

Referring now to Figs. through 7 in detail, there is illustrated amodification in the construction'of the detent assembly 56. Pursuant tothe present modification, there is illustrated an adjustable detentassembly 56A constituted by first and second U-shaped detent devices 31Aand 33A engaged in telescoping relation. The device 31A is constitutedby the vbight element or pivot rod 32A which is mounted for rotarymovement about its longitudinal axiswithin the sleeve or housing 35, aspreviously described in connection with the rod 32, and which isprovided at each of the ends 4t) and 42 thereof with a tubuiar member orarm '70 which is suitably secured thereto, as by weldingor the like. Themembers 70 are preferably rectangular in cross section and open at theupper ends '72 thereof. A portion 74 is bent in at the upper end of eachsleeve-like member 70 to provide a detent element or a stop forengagement with the tooth 80 of rack element 76 which is telescopicallyreceived in each of the tubular members 70. The rack elements 76,interconnected by the rod 78 constitute the second U- shaped detentdevice 33A, which is telescopically related to the first detent device31A to constitute the adjustable detent assembly 56A. The cross member78 provides means by which the rack arms 76 can be simultaneouslyadjusted longitudinally of engaging a predetermined one ofthe teeth 8%thereof with the associated detent '74!- so as to preset the detentassembly 56A to a desired adjusted disposition thereof whereby to retainthe seat- 16 in a desired tilted condition thereof, the latter beingengaged by the cross member 78. It will be noted that the detentassembly 56A is retained in the erect disposition thereof, againstinadvertent collapse, by the engagement of the bottom ends 82 of thesleeves 7i) on the upper surface 34 of the base member 12.

It will be understood, therefore, that the adjustable detent assembly56A functions substantially in the same manner as the detent assembly56, the former being raised the rod 78 and moving the rack elements 76thereof inwardly or outwardly relative to members 70 as required. Therod 58 being utilized for this purpose in the detent assembly 56. In theraised adjusted dispositions thereof the rod .78 engages theundersurface of the. seat 16 in the same manner as in the case of therod 58 of the detent assembly 56. In the inoperative position thereof,the detent assembly 56A is also, hidden from View, being disposed on theupper surface 34 of the base 12, between the latter and the seat part 16and within the upstanding flange 18.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood. that varthe associated sleeves 76 forious changes may be made in thepresent invention without departing fromthe underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. An ottoman comprising a base support, a part pivotally mounted onsaid support for movement from a seatdefining disposition thereof toadjusted angular leg-rest defining dispositions thereof raised abovesaid seat-defining disposition, and an adjustable detent assemblymountedby said base support for pivotal movement "from an inoperativedisposition overlying said support'to an'operative dispositionsubstantially normal to said base sup port, said detent assemblycomprising a first substantially U-shapcd means mounted for pivotalmovement on said base support and a second substantially U-shapedmeansmounted by said first U-shaped means for adjustment in a verticaldirection relative :to said base support in the operative dispositionofsaid detent assembly, and means for releasably locking said secondU-shaped means on said first .U-shaped means in adjusted dispositions ofsaid second .U-shaped means.

2. An ottoman comprising a base support, apart pivotally mounted on saidsupport for-movement from a seatdefining disposition thereof to adjustedangular leg-rest defining dispositions thereof raised above saidseat-defining disposition, and an adjustable detent assembly mounted bysaid base support for pivotal movement from an inoperative dispositionoverlying said support to an operative disposition substantially normalto said base support, said detent means comprising a rod mounted forrotary movement about its axis on said base support, a pair of spacedarms carried by said rod transversely thereof for movement to and from aposition overlying said base support and a position normal thereto, anadditional pair of arms in adjustable telescopic relation to said firstpair of arms, respectively, said additional pair of arms constituting adetent for said part in said adjusted disposition thereof, and means toreleasably retain said additional pair of arms in adjusted dispositionrelative to said first pair of arms. V

3. An ottoman, as defined in claim 2, further characterized in that thearms of one of said fpairsare hollow and the arms of the other of saidpairs are telescopically received in the arms of said one pair,respectively.

4. An ottoman comprising a base member fnounted by a plurality of legs,a seat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from aseat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest definingdisposition thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, anupright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said basemember, an inverted U-shaped member mounted inadjustable telescopingrelation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seatin said angular dispositions thereof, and means for releasably retainingsaid second member in adjusted telescoping relation on said firstmember.

5. An ottoman comprising a base member mounted by a plurality of legs, aseat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from aseat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest definingdispositio'ns thereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, anupright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said basemember, an inverted U-shaped member mounted in adjustable telescopingrelation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seatin said angular dispositions thereof, said second member having hollowarms in which the arms of said first member are received, and means forlocking the arms of said second member in adjusted position on the armsof said first :member.

6. An ottoman comprising a base member mounted by a plurality of legs, aseat pivotally mounted on said base member for movement from aseat-defining disposition thereof to adjusted angular leg-rest definingdispositions ithereof raised above said seat-defining disposition, an

upright U-shaped member mounted for pivotal movement on said basemember, an inverted Ushaped member mounted in adjustable telescopingrelation by said first mentioned member to releasably retain said seatin said angular dispositions thereof, the arms of said second U- 5shaped member being constituted by toothed rack elements, said firstU-shaped member having hollow arms in which said rack elements arereceived, respectively, and each of said hollow arms having a detent forreleasable engagement by the teeth of the associated rack ele- 10 ment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSLongfellow May 24, Weld Aug. 24, Hencke May 16, Kirk June 18, EvertsAug. 27, Wetmore et al. June 24, Blanke June 19,

